The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-10
Phil Armour's Sunday School.
From the Chicago Herald.

When the Armour Mission, up on Thirty
third street, was started with its $500, 900
endowment, it was hard to decide Just how
to manage the religious end of it, Joseph
Armour had directed in the will by which
he gave it 100000 that it should be nom
sectarian. Phil Armour, who added $780,
600 to the original fund, was altogether op-
posed to the Mission being anything but a
broad, humanitarian charity, with plenty
of religion, of course, but of that generic
sort only which would be as acceptable to
the RomanisG as to the Methodist, and as
agreeable to the Episcopalian as TO the Bap-
fist The reverend gentleman who was finally
selected to take charge of the religious
welfare of the in tuition was given, in gen
eral terms, ar idea of this purpose Of the
founders. They did not want sectarianism
of auy kind or degree Good doctrine from
the Bible, without any theology, was what
he was asked to give He began with en-
ergy, and ran along for some time on his
own idea of what the little children and
the parents who filed the benches needed.
One day he received summons to come
down town to the Office. He got there
promptly and was beckoned over to the big
packers desk. Armour wheeled around IN
his chair a couple of times as if to select his
vocabulary, looked the man of God over
carefully, and then launched forth his own
ideas of theology.
you're giving those youngsters too much
grape and canister" he began, slowly.
Hell fire and birthstone are all right for
the old sinners, but the Mission isn't for
them. Now" he added, with the same en-
phasis he'd use to one of his Office clerks. II
want you to change around and try another
plan. IL you don't, you'll drive all these
children away. When you begin your ser
vice in the morning You can read a chapter
from the Bible, something short. Then
have little prayer, something short; not
longer than thath-m assuring off about a
foot with his forefngers. Then want
you to sing-sing a good many times" he
repeated, emphaticaily. Then tell a
story he continued, something with a
point to it and moral, but short. Then
you can have another little prayer, but
mind you, not longer than that"-holding
up his hands about six inches apart this
time.
'Mr. Armour" remarked the preacher,
rather loosely, II suppose you can run a
packing house, but, You don't know much
about religion"
"Well, Said the builder of the mission,
very sharply, will you try itF'
"Oh, yes was the answer.
Phil Armour's theological scheme has
been in vogue ever since that interview
and has been great success. He goes up
every Sunday to the morning children's
service and watches the thing grow.
Don't you mind the old fellows or the
played-out sinners" he constantly adjures
the minister in charge eff you see an old
fellow in the gutter. even, don't stop, but
keep your eye on the little fellow ahead
Look out for him.
Armour's theology has filed up the
benches-and they hold I, 800 people. The
preacher, ever since the sharp Interview at
the La Sale street office, has been working
on the new tack The service is most in
teresting one. According to orders, the
grown folks are entirely ignored The
whole service is for the little ones The
prayers are short-not longer than Armour
indicated by his two forefngers. There is
singing pretty nearly all the time. The
little fellows are drilled TO recite verses or
to sing solos And yet the benches are
almost filled with the parents and grown
brothers and sisters of the little ones There
are twice rs many nj this children's service
in the morning as in the evening when "A
sermon is preached
You can do what you like at night"
Armour told the preacher in an encouraging
way, after this interview. you can preach
a sermon If you like, for III never be there
except in tho morning. But at that chill
dren's service want it my way until / see
It won't work"
But It did work. The dominic at the mis-
sion now admits that after all Phil Armour
knew better what would on the benches
than a trained thsologian. Best Of all,
and this pieaBs Armour most, all creeds
gather at The mission % bring or see the
children, hundreds Of Catholics among the
others.